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Former Lakeland director, graduate passes away

The Rev. Louis Grossen, a 1951 graduate who later served the college in several important support roles, passed away on Jan. 16 at Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice. He was 85.

The Rev. Louis GrossenA Mount Horeb, Wis., native, Grossen attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, but transferred to Mission House College, where he graduated in 1951. He then graduated from the Mission House Theological Seminary (now the United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities) in 1954 with a Master of Divinity degree. On Aug. 22, 1953, he married the former Margery Gaul, a 1954 Mission House graduate.

An ordained United Church of Christ minister, Grossen served a number of pastorates throughout the Midwest before, in 1976, being named director of alumni relations at Lakeland. Later he became the college's director of planned giving and church relations, before retiring in 1995. He was instrumental in the college publishing its first alumni directory, led alumni giving to record highs and logged tens of thousands of miles driving to speaking engagements around the Midwest to share the Lakeland story.

He received the Outstanding Alumni Award and Lakeland's award for distinguished service. In retirement, he served on the college's Sesquicentennial Committee.

As a student, Grossen was a member of Lakeland's first unbeaten football team, served as senior class president and was business manager of the Spectrum.

According to his wishes, his remains were cremated and a service will be held at Salem UCC, 217 Salem Drive, Plymouth, on Jan. 24, at 11 a.m. A short visitation will be held prior to the service at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent for the Grossen Scholarship Fund at Lakeland.